The Arizona sentinel., 1887-07-23


 raid, while he took me to the rendezvous and saved me up'' for their return the next morning. Then secur- ing my arms behind me, and hobbling my feet beneath Kings ley's lean mule, which they forced me to bestride, three of the party took their departure, carrying with them one of the canteens of liquor, my guard claiming the other as his share. He mounted my horse, and making me ride slowly before him, directed my way through bridle path in and amongst the heavy, thick tim Der. Why he did not kill me at once l do not know, except that he may have desired to prolong my torture, or to really keep faith with his fellows. We rode in silence for an hour or more. At last we came to a small clearing, ''nigger patch" !" in the center of which was tumble-down hut. Here Kings ley stopped, dismounted, united my feet, motioned me to enter the cabin, and followed me.
 The only occupant of the place was little, thin, half-starved yellow woman. She seemed scared to death'' when we invaded her poor place, but, on de- mand. furnished us a drink of water, and Kingsley a pone of corn bread. She offered me one, but he struck it from her hand, saying:
 ''Let the cursed Yankee starver'
 This gave her a clew to the whole situation, and I could see that she sympathized with me, but was power less to give me aid. Several times she made excuses and tried 10 go out, but was ordered, with many oaths, to re- main where she was.
 will not attempt to describe my feelings; they can easily be imagined. The thoughts of such an ignoble end ing to an extended and somewhat creditable military career was what troubled me most. But I knew that nothing short of miracle could save me.
 Kingsley had been frequent in his at bCAAbAOAlc bO lllC NtllANOSil OA " hloh1 ing our ride, and now he had it at his mouth every few minutes. With every drink his rage increased, and he poured upon my head all the vile curses and foul names he could think of or invent He kicked and cuffed me, struck me al- most stunning blows on the head with the butt of his revolver, and took devil ish pleasure in pictur;ng the torments to which would be subjected.
 From the way he tilted the canteen I could see that it would soon be empty. and fully expected that my life would end with the liquor.
 He was mad with rage and drunken ness.
 He drained the last drop and threw the vessel from him; than he sat for time in moody silence casting glances of hate at me and playing with his revolver
 At last, with terrible oath that he would finish me now," he rose aud placed the pistol within three inches of my forehead.
 He meant to kill me. 1 could see it in his eyes, He delayed moment in pulling the trigger. The little black woman sprang for him and grasped his arm.
 Not here! not herer' she cried, pit eously.
 The man turned upon her. was so tied, arms and feet, could neither aid nor escape. That woman clung to him; he could not shake her off, nor could his blows hurt her much at such close quarters.
 Two shots he fired without effect, while the woman struggled and writhed, and wound herself about him.
 To more easily grasp her he must have loosened his hold on the pistol; at all events, it flew from his hand and fell behind an old box that was stand ing in a corner. His hands both free, he seized the poor creature by the throat, choked her almost into in- then lifted and slammed" her in a helpless mass on the dirty l floor.
 There was no hope for me now.
 Painting with his exertions he made | his way to the box, and, his head | turned to watch me, groped with his hand for the pistol
 Muttering hot curses he fumbled | around for a moment or two, then | gave start quick glance at the dark cavity and uttered fearful yell, | up, and saw the most frightful, terror-stricken face my eyes ever looked upon.
 In a second, long, thin, black body | glided across the floor and out of the door. It was huge rattlesnake and it's fangs had closed we'll and deadly in the hand of my would-be assassin.
 The courage and bravado was all | gone from him. He called upon the woman, on me, on Heaven to aid him. The woman was still senseless. was bound so l could not move, and for long time was forced to witness the most terrible sight of my life.
 At last the black mistress of the place recovered. In a dazed way she saw that our enemy was prostrated. She cut the ropes that bound us, and both of us did what we could to aid the unhappy wretch. The liquor he had drank made the poison more slow in its effect, but it was not able to save